OH-SO-SWEET GEMS By Christy Rost   Thanks to global markets, we have the pleasure of enjoying fresh produce throughout the year, even during the winter. Have a yen for strawberries in January? No problem! Ripe, juicy tomatoes when the outdoor thermometer reads 30 degrees? Of course! These gems are as near as your closest supermarket. One of the most popular, fresh staples we use in cooking are onions. Like other fresh produce, onion sources vary depending on the season. Right now, the sweetest onions of all come from the foothills of the Andes Mountains in South America. They are the OSO Sweet® onions, known to have as much as one-third more natural sugar content than other varieties. Sweet onions can be used in the same way as regular storage onions, but there are some definite advantages to these sweet gems. Because sweet onions contain more natural sugar, they caramelize better when sautéing, meaning a richer, golden color and flavor to top pizzas, sandwiches, or hors d’oeuvres. When this onion variety is sliced raw, it lends an unmistakable sweetness to salads, burgers, and dips. My favorite characteristic of the OSO Sweet® variety though, is that they don’t make me cry when I slice them. How sweet is that! For more information on sweet onions, please visit www.sweetonionsource.com.  *Note: Christy Rost is the host of Fort Worth television's popular cooking/lifestyle show, Just Like Home, and the author of The Family Table: Where Great Food, Friends, and Family Gather Together (2004, Capital Books). To see recipe's from Christy's show, or to see a list of upcoming personal appearances, please visit her website at www.easyentertain.com.  Jalapeño Salsa Ingredients: 2 ¼ pounds ripe tomatoes, about 7 medium, quartered and seeded 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced ½ cup chopped OSO Sweet® onion 2 large jalapeños 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice ¾ teaspoon coarse salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Tabasco sauce, to taste Using a sharp knife, coarsely chop the tomatoes and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the minced garlic and chopped sweet onion. Get more of Christy Rost's recipes in her archives. Click here. Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com